Trees are dangerous things
by fantaicy
Summary: POST SERIES 4: Now that Morgana has been supposedly defeated, surely Merlin can tell Arthur his secret? Maybe a fallen tree is just what Merlin needs to decide what to do...
1. Chapter 1

**I got bored so I decided to attempt an angst filled story, Yay! Who needs exams anyway? Not me...******

**As always, post season 4 :)**

Merlin was silently brooding as he went about his daily chores for Arthur. Seeing as Morgana has supposedly gone, surely he could tell Arthur about his magic and protect Camelot once and for all and bring the uniting of Albion?

_Kilgharrah_thought otherwise which led to a short debate ended by the dragon that had better things to do than tell a young warlock how to live his life.

"You're very quiet today, Merlin." Arthur observed from behind his desk as he wrote a speech for the court. "What's wrong?" Arthur knew that whenever Merlin was silent that it wasn't a small issue.

"Nothing, sire." Merlin answered curtly as he folded up the last if Arthur's shirts and put them away. "Is there anything else you want me to do, Sire?"

That was another thing - Merlin always got formal when thinking about something else. The king considered pestering him but realised if he didn't write this speech now, he never would, so decided to allow Merlin the rest of the day off so he could sort himself out.

The young warlock with such a large destiny awaiting him, decided to take a walk through the woods to clear his head and maybe come up with a solution to his problem.

Should he tell Arthur? And if he did, would he treat him the same, banish him or worse, execute him?

The questions grew darker and darker until Merlin couldn't handle it anymore and let out a loud yell disturbing nearby birds in the trees.

Merlin glowered at anything that moved, a new anger erupting inside of him. Why did he have to hide all the time? It was getting ridiculous how many times he had saved Arthur's life and not been credited for it.

He kicked a nearby tree and walked on. Unfortunately, this certain tree happened to be rotting and because Merlin was too busy getting angry at his life, the tree began to fall and Merlin was too late to even register what was happening and tried to jump out of the way; his foot got stuck in a inconveniently placed ditch though and an excruciating pain erupted as Merlin fell with the tree. Thankfully, his foot was not crushed.

"Great." Merlin muttered.

He tried every spell he could remember but none of them were working and Merlin's anger began to simmer down to a sorrow.

Maybe he should call the dragon?

Merlin quickly decided against this idea as he had a feeling that the dragon was beginning to feel like a councillor which should really be Gaius' job.

"Of all the days to end up with a crushed foot, it had to be today didn't it?" Merlin grumbled as he tried to raise the log for the hundredth time.

Night fell and Merlin lay there staring absentmindedly at the stars. He truly believed he was going to die and no-one would find out; he felt peaceful and had managed to numb the pain in his foot by thinking of this.

Meanwhile, in the castle, Gaius went to tell the King of his worries of Merlin not returning.

Arthur dismissed it as Merlin being in the tavern but he couldn't help feeling he was in trouble. More often than not he was - he had this way...

Gwen tried to reassure him but Arthur couldn't ignore it. Once Gwen was asleep, Arthur got up and put on one of Gwen's coats. It may be feminine but Arthur couldn't dress himself so it was either freeze or not freeze.

Silently, Arthur left the castle and walked into the woods in hopes of finding out where he had gone. He had a gut feeling he was in there somewhere.

As this was happening, Merlin had created a small song of his situation while waiting to 'die':

_Oh, how very true,__  
__It is to feel quite blue,__  
__I've no clue what to do,__  
__My magic is no use,__  
__I'm going to die quite soon._

Admittedly it was quite a grim song but it humoured Merlin in his 'last hours'. He had created another one too:  
_  
__I don't think I've ever heard,__  
__Of a warlock who scared some birds,__  
__Who got trapped under a log,__  
__I'd rather be in fog,__  
__I'm the warlock who's going to die._

Again, bit morbid at the end but he couldn't think of another word that rhymed with fog and he felt that the fact he was going to die was an important element of the song - Even if no-one was around to hear it.

Or so he thought. You see, as Merlin had been singing numerous songs about being a dying warlock, Arthur had followed the voice to see Merlin looking extremely pale and singing madly. Although Arthur wanted nothing more than to help him, the fact he was singing of being a warlock caught his interest.  
_  
__I'M GOING TO DIE,__  
__I'M GOING TO DIE,__  
__I'M GOING TO DIE HAHA.__  
__IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I'M A WARLOCK WHO CAN'T THINK OF THE RIGHT SPELL TO GET THIS LOG OFF._

The song didn't turn out _quite _the way Arthur had expected but it confirmed his thoughts; Merlin was going mad and thought he was a warlock. Poor man.

Arthur decided it was time to knock some sense into the man before he died mad - not that he'd die of course, it was only his foot under a trunk.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked as he walked out of his hiding place - not that he had needed to be hiding considering Merlin was only staring at the sky.

"OH YOU'VE COME TO RESCUE ME!" Merlin greeted joyfully without looking at him, "Did you hear my songs? I'm very proud of them."

Merlin truly thought he was hallucinating and decided to humour this 'Arthur'.

"Yes, I did hear them and I think you're going mad." Arthur said bluntly as he sat down beside him.

"Not just a little bit good then?" Merlin tried.

"No."

"Is it because they're about magic because you should really be more open to that." If he was going to die, Merlin thought he might as well say what he's wanted to say for so long - even if it was a hallucination.

"Why! Morgana had magic and look what happened to her!" Arthur responded the same way he did anyone tried the whole 'magic is ok' argument.

"But I have magic and I'm perfectly fine! In fact," Merlin turned to look at him directly, "you're only alive because of me." Merlin frowned thinking of countless times he had saved his life.

Arthur sighed, "If you really had magic, you wouldn't be in Camelot."

"But I am because it's my destiny! You see..." Merlin began to explain everything ever since he arrived in Camelot so long ago. Arthur was amazed at how realistic it sounded and nodded at the right parts not believing a word of it.

Merlin sighed after finishing, "I hope you can accept me for who I am before I die."

"For heaven's sake, Merlin, you're not going to die and you're most definitely _not _a warlock!" Arthur reprimanded as he stood up only to have his feet swept up behind him and fell on his face. "MERLIN."

"Just proving my magic, sire." The brave warlock grinned.

"Oh really, because I'm pretty sure you just grabbed my feet." Arthur replied sarcastically standing up again.

"Are you wearing _Gwen's_ coat?" Merlin asked continuing to grin.

"Yes." Arthur admitted feeling ever more self conscious of the feminine piece of clothing.

"Good because it will keep me warm until I die." The newly confessed warlock grinned.

And with a flash of gold in his eyes, the coat that Arthur was wearing was taken off him by invisible hands and thrown over to Merlin.

Arthur was speechless but refused to accept that it was magic and walked around for at least five minutes demanding for the 'attacker' to show himself while Merlin made himself warm.

"You still don't believe me do you?" It sounded more like a fact than an opinion and Arthur heard it loud and clear, and looked at a sorrowful Merlin once more with different eyes.

"So you're a warlock then?" Arthur wanted confirmation.

"A dying one, yes."

"_Mer_ -lin." Arthur almost growled.

"What else do you want me to say?"

That silenced Arthur; what did he want him to say? _'Sorry, I'm joking, can you help me get out from under this log now?'_

It definitely wouldn't happen.

Arthur sat by the newly confessed warlock again.

They sat there for a while in companiable silence before Merlin said, "I never knew dying would be so _long_."

"_Mer_ -lin. You are _not_ dying. I'm going to get help and when I get back, you're going to still be here," Arthur stood up and began to walk before turning around to say, "_alive._"

Merlin still thought he was hallucinating so just grinned and waved before humming to himself about finally convincing the king of Camelot of his magic even it was a fake king in his head.

It didn't take long before he was singing about dying again.

Back at the castle, Gaius was happily dreaming about finding an extremely rare herb when Arthur burst into the room.

"GAIUS."

"Good heavens, Arthur!" Gaius exclaimed sitting up in his little bed. "What's wrong?" He asked seeing Arthur's distressed state.

"It's Merlin! He's stuck under a fallen tree and thinks he's a warlock!"

Gaius raised his eyebrow. That was enough communication from him to say, _'I don't believe it!'_

"Alright, give me a moment. Shouldn't you be notifying that strong knight of yours, Percival isn't it?"

"I'm going to tell them next. Meet me outside in five minutes." And then Arthur left.

"Just splendid." Gaius muttered to himself before getting up.

Arthur on the other hand was just growing more exhausted from power walking the entire length of the castle; he considered waking Gwen to tell her but quickly decided against it knowing she wouldn't be much help - plus it was on the _other_ side of the castle and he didn't have the time or effort.

"LEON." He yelled barging in on a now not sleeping Leon who fell out of bed.

"Sire?" He immediately stood up looking wide awake.

"Get up and meet me outside in five minutes."

"Ok-"

Arthur left.

"GWAINE." Arthur walked into Gwaine's room to be met by Silence. "... Gwaine?" The room was empty.

"At the tavern with Percival and Elyan, Sire." Leon said behind him fully dressed. It was if he was prepared for an emergency like this and probably was since he was such a dedicated knight.

"Well that's just great. Come on." Arthur muttered and beckoned Leon to follow him to the castle entrance and past Gaius to the tavern.

"Sire..."

"What."

"Why are you wearing night clothes?"

Arthur paused and looked down remembering how Gwen's coat (now with Melrin) was to cover him.

"Because I am.2 Arthur said hoping his most trusted knight wouldn't ask any more questions.

They arrived at the front of the castle to see Gaius standing there frowning to himself. He was trying to think of the solution to saving Merlin.

"What's happened?" Leon asked Gaius quietly as they walked to the tavern.

"Merlin's in a spot of trouble apparently." Gaius replied watching Arthur walk into the tavern and yell a bit before dragging out three almost asleep, drunken knights.

"WE HAVE TRAINING TOMORROW YOU IDIOTS." Arthur practically yelled which led to Gaius telling him to stop disturbing everyone's sleep.

"Calm down _*hic*_ princess! We were just _*hic*_ having a few _*hic*_ drinks!" Gwaine grinned lazily as he shook himself awake. "Besides, what's got your panties in a twist this time?" Gwaine was very talented at getting out of a drunken state.

Percival mumbled something to Elyan beside him and they both erupted into laughter which didn't go unnoticed by the king.

"ENOUGH. Merlin's in trouble and I need your help."

"What sort of trouble?" Percival asked immediately sobering up and going into knight mode. He too was talented at avoiding the drunken state when needed. This couldn't be said for little Elyan though.

"Stuck under a fallen tree believing he's a warlock about to die." Arthur told them curtly.

Elyan snorted but quickly disguised it into a cough seeing Arthur's glare.

"Come on." And he walked into the woods with the rescue crew following behind wishing Merlin could've got into trouble at a different time such as the afternoon instead of late evening.

_Oh I do like to pretend I'm not a warlock,__  
__Oh I do like to be a warlock too!__  
__Oh I do like to save Arthur again and again,__  
__What a life to lead in Camelot!__  
__Did I mention I'm going to die now? Because I am._

Arthur rolled his eyes at the terrible singing at the distance while the knights just stared and Gaius rolled his eyebrow. The usual shocked reactions.  
_  
__If you're a warlock and you know it, clap your hands!_

"MERLIN." Arthur silenced the deluded servant before he could embarrass himself further.

"OH YOU RETURNED, SIRE! AND YOU BROUGHT EVERYONE ELSE TOO!" Merlin's eyes began to water believing everyone was here to say farewell before he died. – all hallucinations of course.

"Calm down, Merlin, it's not like you're going to die!" Gwaine assured him.

Elyan and Percival nodded in agreement.

"You're just saying that because I am going to die, that's why you're here remember! Did Arthur tell you I'm a warlock?"

"He might have mentioned it..." Gaius muttered giving Merlin the best glare he ever mustered. Too bad Merlin didn't see it otherwise Merlin might have realised what trouble he was going to be in once he got out from under the tree.

"I'm so glad you're all here. And now my secrets off my chest I can rest in peace..." Merlin grinned stupidly as he closed his eyes fully believing he was to die in that moment.

The surrounding knights and Gaius exchanged looks and waited for Merlin to come to senses but he never did.

"Sire, if I could have a word..." Gaius interjected as Arthur made towards Merlin.

"Go ahead, Gaius." The king paused and walked back to him.

"It would seem that his head hit the ground hard as he fell." Gaius said observing the scene.

"I can see that." Arthur curtly replied wishing Gaius had a solution.

"I was thinking, Sire, we need to cut the tree on either side of him."

"Good idea, Gaius!" Elyan said before Arthur could reply and began to chop at the tree with his sword while the other knights watched amusedly. Leon groaned and went over to talk some sense into him. The rest of the knights soon joined in helping Leon.

"This is useless!" Arthur exclaimed after watching the knights for long enough and Merlin still pretending to be dead.

"If we all _roll_," Arthur made a rolling motion, "the tree away from Merlin, then he's free!"

Elyan dropped the now useless, blunt sword and began to push the tree. Percival attempted to beside him along with Gwaine and Leon who weren't very strong at the best of times despite their skill with a sword. Gaius smirked by the fallen tree he had made as his leaning post and stared up at the night sky admiring the stars instead.

It's safe to say, that in that very moment, Arthur let out a sound that sounded like pterodactyl screech. This of course stopped everyone in their tracks and Merlin frowned and muttered "Can you guys be quiet, I'm trying to die here."

"Right. We need to come up with a solution _together _rather than blindly pursue one. Clearly Merlin is no help here and Elyan, you're completely drunk, and you three" He pointed at Percival, Leon and Gwaine, "are just wasting time! Gaius! Please say you have an idea."

The knights simultaneously made sounds of indignation.

Gaius thought for a moment.

"I could always encourage Merlin to remember the spell..." It was a risky option to suggest but Gaius saw no other way.

"Alright. Everyone else, stand back." Arthur ordered and gestured for the physician to work his 'magic' (no pun intended).

"Merlin?" Gaius crouched down by his head so he could hear his reply easier.

"What?" Merlin replied grumpily - he just wanted to die after all.

"Do you remember the spell to lift objects?" Gaius ventured to ask.

"Of course." Merlin responded as if he would be stupid not to know the spell.

"That's the spell you need to get this log off of you. I'm sure you can do it." Gaius patted Merlin's head and walked away back to where everyone else was standing.

"Did it work?" Arthur asked as soon as Gaius walked over.

"Wait and see, sire." Gaius merely said and found another good tree to lean on to watch the show.

"He's just lying there..." Percival obviously stated and Gwaine rolled his eyes next to him.

"Of course he is, Perce! The poor man thinks he's dying what do you expect? Him to be dancing around singing a song about how much he loves Arthur?"

Elyan snorted then passed out. The three remaining knights looked down at his passed out form and sighed before placing him somewhere comfortable. It was not an unknown routine for the knights to do around a drunken Elyan. Leon muttered his disgust for their drinking habits.

"Am I the only one sane here?" Arthur mumbled to himself wishing for a day like yesterday in which he argued Merlin around and the knights followed all his orders with respect and not to mention, Gwen was feeling extra loving that day.

Then they waited,

And waited,

And waited until...

Merlin opened his eyes cautiously to the new silence that had surrounded him. He didn't know what to expect when you died, where do you go? Turns out exactly where you died because here he was, still stuck under a tree.

"Brilliant." Merlin muttered to himself the second time on discovering his situation. "Stuck under a tree for all eternity."

Gaius' words were echoing around his head and it took him a good five minutes to put the two together.

"OF COURSE." He yelled out loud startling the almost-sleeping rescue crew who had been beginning to lose hope.

He yelled the spell in that powerful voice he uses when making powerful spells and the trunk hovered above him before falling down at his feet.

"I'M FREE. NOW I CAN DIE A PAINLESS DEATH." He announced as he stood up to what he assumed was an empty world.

"Merlin, for the last time, you're not going to die."

Merlin swivelled around to see an angry king marching towards him and suddenly taking him into a hug.

"Get some rest, you'll feel better tomorrow." He let go and adjusted the cloak that Merlin had taken off him.

Arthur placed a hand around Merlin's shoulders and they both walked back to Camelot in companionable silence, a stronger bond growing between them.

Once they had left, Gaius and Leon followed behind slowly as to not interrupt the two men discussing the scene they had just seen and how Gaius knew all along which amazed Leon greatly and brought an onslaught of questions about magic.

Too bad the remaining knights were frozen in shock. It took a good hour before Gwaine unfroze and shook Percival.

"Did you _see_ that?!" He asked excitedly.

"OF COURSE! THAT WAS BRILLIANT, MERL-" Percival exclaimed turning round to ask Merlin about it and realised they were the only people left in the opening, including a sleeping Elyan. The confused knight scratched his head, "I could've sworn they were just here..."

"Nice of them to sneak off without us!" Gwaine grumbled.

"Well, we can ask him in the morning can't we? Come on, we have a knight to return to his bed." And so they did. They kept replaying the magic that Merlin had displayed in their heads and once they reached Elyan's room, they reached a silent agreement conveyed only by eye contact, never to mention it again to anyone but Merlin.

Too bad they both forgot by the time morning arrived. Poor Leon woke up Gwaine to discuss it only to get a shoe thrown at his head and to stop talking such nonsense. The same happened for Percival with an added 'go away!' Leon didn't bother trying with Elyan since he had passed out and decided to go talk to the king instead.

Arthur hadn't got a wink of sleep that night thinking about what he'd just experienced. He didn't tell Gwen about the events and she soon gave up asking what was wrong and went away to see Elyan.

"Morning, sire!" Merlin greeted cheerfully soon after,

"Merlin?" Arthur practically spluttered.

"That's my name!"

"What are you _doing_ here, I told you to rest!" The king reprimanded concerned for the newly confessed warlocks health.

"I've rested... and now I'm here!" Merlin began to change the bed with Arthur still on it and couldn't understand why the linen wouldn't move.

"Merlin..." Arthur said more gently and it worked. Merlin stopped what he was doing and looked at Arthur with a new set of eyes, wise eyes that had seen too much too young and was growing more tired by the minute.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I've seen what you've done to the druids, besides, my destiny was to protect you, not tell you my life story." Merlin shrugged and sat down on the bed beside Arthur not caring what he said.

"I understand." Arthur assured him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now _please_ get some rest before I force you. Here." Arthur got out of his bed and gestured to it. "Take mine!"

Merlin stared wondering why Arthur was being so nice and soon came to the conclusion it was genuine concern and ... Fell asleep.

Arthur smiled and then frowned. He couldn't get dressed and he had a meeting with the council in an hour.

There was a small knock on the door and Leon poked his head around the door, "Sire..?"

"Come in! I have something to ask of you..."

Leon crept in seeing a sleeping Merlin in the bed and thought nothing of it (he thought Arthur and Merlin had a 'connection' anyway).

Arthur made Leon help him get dressed after many protests and afterwards they sat down at his desk to discuss what they saw the previous evening.

"I don't think Gwaine or Percival remember anything." Leon told the king as he stared at Merlin's sleeping form.

"And let's leave it that way. I don't think Merlin realises what happened last night fully himself." Arthur frowned, knowing he had magic and allowing him to stay in Camelot went against everything he had ever believed in but he was willing to go with it for now.

"What are you going to do?" Leon asked hoping Arthur wouldn't banish the servant that had grown on everyone's hearts.

"I don't know Leon, I honestly don't know..."

**What will Arthur do? Will the remaining knights remember what happened? Will Gaius ever find that rare herb he dreamt about? Stay tuned to find out!**

**Now I know there are probably some mistakes in this story but I'm tired and I'm sure you guys can get over it – besides I really should be revising Biology right now...**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N after seeing the finale i couldnt bring myself to write merlin since it could never do it justice but i'm back! During my gcse's because i avoid life... Enjoy :3  
**  
Merlin slept for the remainder of the day, dreaming of Arthur banishing him from Camelot for using magic. The dreams soon turned worse with him getting sentenced to death which caused Merlin to wake with a start.

Arthur, who had been watching him curiously, didn't say anything and waited for Merlin to come to his senses.

The warlock was confused to say the least; why was he in the king's bed? Where was Gaius? He turned around and saw a very tired Arthur watching him with no expression. Merlin internally sighed, Arthur was going to banish him, and he just knew it.

"I'll just pack my bag..." Merlin said as he stood up to get back to Gaius' chambers and hoped Gaius had a solution.

"Merlin," Arthur stared at him and couldn't bring himself to hurt him, "you aren't leaving." Arthur told him, standing up and walking over.

"But-" Merlin started to protest.

"Yes, I know you used magic and it goes against everything I believe in so be glad you're a good servant because my sword needs cleaning." Arthur bossed and Merlin grinned and hugged the king.

Merlin soon remembered how Arthur hated hugs and quickly saw himself out.

When he was gone, Arthur sat back at his desk and placed his head in his hands. Would life in Camelot change as he knew it? What if Merlin's secret comes out to everyone?

At that moment, Gwaine and Percival chose that moment to crash through Arthur's door with frantic looks on their faces.

"Merlin-" Gwaine said breathlessly.

"Sorcerer-" Percival said equally breathless.

"Tree-" Gwaine said.

"Magic!" Both the knights exclaimed loudly which caused Arthur to snap into action and stride to the door to slam it closed.

"You two were drunk?! How do you remember?! Leon said-" Arthur asked.

"Well, Princess," Gwaine tried to put an arm around Arthur's shoulder only for it to get shrugged off which Gwaine ignored, "Percival and I are brilliant at handling any sort of substances without getting affected. Brilliant minds too!" Gwaine self complimented himself and Percival.

Percival looked at Arthur, "you aren't banishing him are you? He's too good to be banished!"

Arthur sighed, sitting back at his desk, "For now he isn't but it really does go against my rules..."

"Ah, but you are the king, and you have no rules to follow!" Gwaine grinned at the exasperated king who looked like he would collapse at any minute. "Besides, I think you, princess, need some sleep."

Arthur sighed again before giving in, "make sure no-one disturbs me." Gwaine and Percival nodded and left to stand outside the door.

The young king quickly collapsed in defeat to sleep at his desk.

"So it's true, eh?" Percival said to Gwaine outside as they sat down against the door (ever the professionals).

"I know! We need to find him after Arthur wakes up..." they sat in silence for a moment, "Or we could go now..." Gwaine suggested.

Percival grinned. "The king won't know so it's not like we're disobeying orders..."

So it was decided, the two knights with brilliant digestive systems towards alcohol would find the newly confessed warlock.

"Where do you reckon he is?" Gwaine asked.

"No idea!" Percival said and they laughed and headed in a random direction in the hopes of finding him - it normally worked anyway.

Fifteen minutes later, they saw him in the armoury cleaning swords.

"MERLIN!" They greeted him with over-enthusiastic hugs which took Merlin by surprise. "Can I help you guys?" He asked confused as to why they were hugging him in the first place.

Gwaine lowered his voice and grinned, "we know your little secret, Merlin."

The warlock paled a further shade at this. "But Arthur told me you two were completely drunk!"

"We can handle alcohol better than any other knight in Camelot!"Percival told him proudly.

"Could you show us... A little spell?" Gwaine asked carefully really wanting to see magic in action.

Merlin scrutinized the sudden five year old knights excited at the prospect of magic before sighing and holding out his hand.

"What are you doing?" Gwaine asked immediately.

"If you'd let me perform the spell, you'd see." Merlin said curtly.

"Sorry." Gwaine whispered.

Merlin stared at his hand and said a spell that made a fire appear in his hand.

"WHAT THE." Gwaine jumped back into Percival who had the same expression of surprise.

"What?" Merlin grinned innocently as he put the fire out. "Was that a good enough spell for you?"

"YEP." Percival answered before Gwaine. "Show us something else!" He begged and Gwaine nodded joining in.

Merlin sighed, it was going to be a long day...

Meanwhile, Leon, the only intelligent knight, had been with Gaius discussing all the possibilities of magic and Merlin's strengths. Gaius was happy to have someone to talk to about all of this stuff so told him everything.

"Gaius?" Leon asked.

"Yes, Leon?" Gaius wondered what on earth he wanted to know about now. He already knew the history up to Morgana's uprising.

"Do you think Arthur will be ok with it? After a while, I mean." Leon asked.

Gaius frowned, "that's hard to say... Arthur values their friendship although he would never say it."

"I talked to him earlier, he looked rather anguished about the whole thing" Leon sighed, "Camelot wouldn't be the same without Merlin, that's for sure."

"It's a decision we have to leave to the king, I'm afraid, we won't be able to change his mind." Gaius sighed quietly; he wished Merlin hadn't gotten knocked over by a tree in the first place now.

The king in question suddenly burst into the room causing Leon to knock over a vial full of liquid off the table. Leon immediately set to cleaning up the shattered glass.

"Where's Merlin?" Arthur asked Gaius straight to the point ignoring the broken vial.

"Haven't seen him sire, I thought he was with you?" Gaius replied hoping Merlin wasn't putting himself in more trouble.

"I sent him to clean my armour but he isn't there anymore!" Arthur said exasperated.

"He won't be far, sire." Gaius told him as he got a cloth to soak up the liquid on the floor.

"Thanks for your help, Gaius." Arthur said before leaving again.

"He looks worse than earlier..." Leon said, concerned for the king he had been loyal to for most of his life.

"Well stress is probably getting to him, I will make a small draft for him to take tonight while you," Gaius turned to Leon, "you will make sure Arthur doesn't do anything stupid when he finds Merlin, my bet is he is in the tavern."

Leon nodded, switching to knight mode, "will do, see you Gaius!" And he left.

"Oh, Merlin, what have you got yourself into now?" Gaius muttered to himself as he started to get the ingredients ready for a sleeping draft.

Now in the streets of Camelot were starting to look a bit strange to a regular peasant living among the houses. And by strange, I mean there were mushrooms growing everywhere and much of the straw in Camelot had disappeared - not so strange after all.

The straw in question was with Merlin, Gwaine and Percival who had decided to try a practical joke on someone. The joke in question was to be one of surprise. Merlin had morphed the straw into a human figure and after subtly taking a pumpkin, had placed it on top for a head. As for the mushrooms, Percival just thought a mushroom growing in the cobbles was cool.

"This will be brilliant! No-one ever expects to get scared around here- well... Not by a knight like me- ah, well, it's still a brilliant plan." Gwaine reassured himself.

"Gwaine, could you help me and Percival actually put this up rather than just standing and talking to yourself?" Merlin snapped as the weight of the straw figure started to get to him. The warlock was rather weak despite his magical power.

"Oh, right, sure." Gwaine quickly helped Merlin to tie up the straw figure to some rope they had also found, and Percival pulled the rope till the figure was out of view then tied it to a heavy looking rock. The rope had been looped through a nearby hole that was more convenient than useful in this story.

"MERLIN!" Arthur was shouting in the distance as he looked for the servant. Merlin gulped, if there was one thing he feared, it was an angry Arthur. "I don't think I'll live to see the joke guys, wish me luck..." Merlin sighed as he began walking over to the king who hadn't seen him yet.

"Good luck!" Gwaine and Percival chorused, and then began planning a plan of their own to make things right between Merlin and Arthur.

"Sire?" Merlin asked bracing himself for the shouting.

Arthur turned around and scrutinized him for a minute, "I told you to go and polish my swords and instead I find them abandoned!"

"Sorry, sire, I'll get back to it straight away-" Merlin started to leave.

"_Mer_-lin, I don't care about the swords- well, not yet anyway." Arthur sighed while Merlin raised an eyebrow wondering what on Earth Arthur was looking for him about then- oh... Magic.

"See, the thing is, Merlin." The king, usually confident, now reduced to thinking carefully about his words in fear of hurting Merlin's feelings.

"Go on..." Merlin said just wanting it to be over and done with and get banished. He had already expected it this morning so had a bag ready to take with him. Where he would go, was nobody's guess.

Arthur rubbed his neck as he tried to think of the words to say. However, before he could, screams erupted from the tavern as people ran out even the tavern owner, Cara who was afraid of no-one, not even Percival - who was having a lovely relationship with her.

Arthur pulled out his sword and ran blindly into the tavern without a second thought, Merlin sighed and ran after him, knowing he'd be needed somehow, he always did.

Inside was a sight he'd never thought he'd see in Camelot - two figures covered in black material all over so you couldn't see their faces with swords charging at Arthur.

"ARGH." Arthur shouted as he charged and began to single-handedly fight them. Now was Merlin's chance to show Arthur how his magic isn't something to be afraid of!

Merlin quickly made the two attackers fly backwards into the wall behind them with a crash. Arthur stared in wonder at the knocked out attackers then at Merlin.

"D-did you do that?" Arthur said shakily.

Merlin nodded slowly.

"Why?" The king asked simply.

"Because they were attacking you?" Merlin couldn't stop replying rudely and mentally cursed himself, now was not the time to call the king a prat.

"Yes, well," Arthur straightened himself up, "I clearly had them."

"Oh, really," Merlin grinned, "sure you did, Sire."

"But why do it? Why use magic?" Arthur ventured to ask.

"I always use magic to protect you, sire, it's the only thing I use it for." Merlin frowned and didn't look at the king while confessing this; it was hard enough admitting he had magic as it was.

"Protect me?" Arthur was speechless.

"Yeah, you're the prat who always runs blindly into the fire and I have to put it out for you." Merlin grinned hoping Arthur would take it lightly.

To his happiness, the king laughed, "Merlin you are one strange character, you know that?"

"I have been told... Who are these attackers anyway?" Merlin asked changing the subject subtly.

"Let's find out shall we?" Arthur said moving over to the two figures.

**A/N who were the attackers? Will Arthur and Merlin finally have solved the issues between them? Will Gaius successfully make the sleeping draft? Tune in next time!  
I decided to include Cara because hey, who doesn't like shameless promotion for my other stories? So go check out such an uneventful love life for a one-shot of Percival scoring the tavern owner ;)**

**And yes, if know, I did link in the actual reveal speech into this one a tiny bit but hey, it was a brilliant scene and mine will always be inferior.**


End file.
